DP Unit Planner introduction
The Diploma Programme unit planner is a framework used to design and organize a section of a curriculum in such a way that the curriculum aligns with the demands of the curriculum and the philosophy of the Diploma Programme. The unit planner gives the writer of the work the opportunity to examine, organize and articulate in a deliberate manner the ways in which the content of the course intersect with specific approaches to learning (ATLs), connects with Theory of Knowledge (TOK) and provides opportunities for Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) to extend organically from the content, among other things.
The unit planner also serves a number of critical needs for the teacher of the course and for the school’s Diploma Programme. These needs include:
Institutional memory
Faculty turnover is an inevitable part of any school staff and the MHS Diploma Programme is no different. In fact, in some courses, we are working with our third, fourth and fifth teacher in our short history. Unit planners serve as an invaluable resource for teachers new to the Diploma Programme and the content of the course, as well as a source of stability and continuity amid the inevitable changes in faculty.
Deliberate connections
One of the things that sets IB courses apart is the expectation of the connections they make to courses across the curriculum as well as to elements of the DP Core, including Theory of Knowledge and CAS. Unit planners give teachers the opportunity to think through those possible connections prior to the teaching of the unit and allows them to strategically plan for conversations around those connections, such as:
Communication of curriculum
One of the expectations of the IBO is that Diploma Programmes communicate their written to all stakeholders, including students and parents. In fact, in the most recent DP Evaluation Report of Millbrook’s DP, the IBO recommended that, “[Millbrook] should further plan to ensure that all stakeholders can access the written curriculum.” Unit planners will serve as an invaluable tool for communicating to our school community what is being taught and discussed in our classes.
Unit planners will serve to inform another critical stakeholder in the DP as well - the DP coordinator. As the primary spokesperson for the DP, the coordinator is tasked with explaining to students, parents and others the nature and content of the DP classes. Unit planners will provide a wealth of insight and examples regarding the conduct of the courses and their connections to the DP core and to other courses.
Collection of evidence of effective implementation of the Diploma Programme
Every five years the Diploma Programme conducts a self-evaluation that it submits to the IBO for review and “reauthorization.” The content of the unit planners can, and in our most recent self-study, did provide invaluable evidence to support our claims of quality implementation of our Diploma Programme. The recently implemented practice of writing DP unit planners provided us with the necessary evidence to identify our connections to TOK, ATLs, concurrency of learning and connections to Learner Profile, among other things. It is thanks to our current library of unit planners that our most recent evaluation resulted in ZERO matters to be addressed or summary recommendations for implementation.
Collection of evidence for the teacher’s NC Evaluation Instrument
All NC teachers are evaluated using the same NC Teacher Evaluation Rubric. That rubric includes a number of indicators that are clearly addressed by the contents of the unit planner. When done thoughtfully and effectively, the unit planner can assist the teacher in addressing the content and connections that will allow for a successful evaluation based on rubric standards. Some examples of standards that can be addressed by the contents of the unit planner include, but are not exclusive to the following:
Addressing Millbrook’s School Improvement Plan
Millbrook’s School Improvement Plan is driven by and expected to align with Wake County’s Strategic Plan. One section of that plan states, “Instructional teams develop standards aligned units of instruction for each subject and grade level.” (A2.04) This includes that teachers “design lessons aligned to the unit of standards and incorporate opportunities for collaboration, communication, critical thinking, and creativity within each unit.” In other words teachers are expected, by WCPSS directive, to address the IBO’s Approaches to Learning - co-opted by WCPSS and renamed The 4Cs.
The unit planner also serves a number of critical needs for the teacher of the course and for the school’s Diploma Programme. These needs include:
Institutional memory
Faculty turnover is an inevitable part of any school staff and the MHS Diploma Programme is no different. In fact, in some courses, we are working with our third, fourth and fifth teacher in our short history. Unit planners serve as an invaluable resource for teachers new to the Diploma Programme and the content of the course, as well as a source of stability and continuity amid the inevitable changes in faculty.
Deliberate connections
One of the things that sets IB courses apart is the expectation of the connections they make to courses across the curriculum as well as to elements of the DP Core, including Theory of Knowledge and CAS. Unit planners give teachers the opportunity to think through those possible connections prior to the teaching of the unit and allows them to strategically plan for conversations around those connections, such as:
- Investigating the role of imagination and intuition in science
- Understanding the impact of ideologies on economic decision making
- Debating the role of the reader in shaping the meaning of a text
- Evaluating the extent to which movement in dance serves as a universal language.
Communication of curriculum
One of the expectations of the IBO is that Diploma Programmes communicate their written to all stakeholders, including students and parents. In fact, in the most recent DP Evaluation Report of Millbrook’s DP, the IBO recommended that, “[Millbrook] should further plan to ensure that all stakeholders can access the written curriculum.” Unit planners will serve as an invaluable tool for communicating to our school community what is being taught and discussed in our classes.
Unit planners will serve to inform another critical stakeholder in the DP as well - the DP coordinator. As the primary spokesperson for the DP, the coordinator is tasked with explaining to students, parents and others the nature and content of the DP classes. Unit planners will provide a wealth of insight and examples regarding the conduct of the courses and their connections to the DP core and to other courses.
Collection of evidence of effective implementation of the Diploma Programme
Every five years the Diploma Programme conducts a self-evaluation that it submits to the IBO for review and “reauthorization.” The content of the unit planners can, and in our most recent self-study, did provide invaluable evidence to support our claims of quality implementation of our Diploma Programme. The recently implemented practice of writing DP unit planners provided us with the necessary evidence to identify our connections to TOK, ATLs, concurrency of learning and connections to Learner Profile, among other things. It is thanks to our current library of unit planners that our most recent evaluation resulted in ZERO matters to be addressed or summary recommendations for implementation.
Collection of evidence for the teacher’s NC Evaluation Instrument
All NC teachers are evaluated using the same NC Teacher Evaluation Rubric. That rubric includes a number of indicators that are clearly addressed by the contents of the unit planner. When done thoughtfully and effectively, the unit planner can assist the teacher in addressing the content and connections that will allow for a successful evaluation based on rubric standards. Some examples of standards that can be addressed by the contents of the unit planner include, but are not exclusive to the following:
- Creates a classroom culture that empowers students to collaborate
- Evaluates student progress using a variety of assessment data
- Capitalizes on diversity as an asset in the classroom
- Promotes a deep understanding of cultures through the integration of culturally sensitive materials and ideas throughout the curriculum
- Helps students hold high expectations for themselves and their peers
- Extends knowledge of subject beyond content in their teaching specialty and sparks students’ curiosity for learning beyond the required course work
- Integrates global awareness activities throughout lesson plans and classroom instructional practices
- Deepens students’ understandings of 21st century skills and helps them make their own connections and develop new skills
- Teaches students the process needed to think creatively and critically, synthesize knowledge, draw conclusions, understand connections, frame, analyze and solve problems
- Establishes classroom practices which encourage all students to develop effective communication skills
Addressing Millbrook’s School Improvement Plan
Millbrook’s School Improvement Plan is driven by and expected to align with Wake County’s Strategic Plan. One section of that plan states, “Instructional teams develop standards aligned units of instruction for each subject and grade level.” (A2.04) This includes that teachers “design lessons aligned to the unit of standards and incorporate opportunities for collaboration, communication, critical thinking, and creativity within each unit.” In other words teachers are expected, by WCPSS directive, to address the IBO’s Approaches to Learning - co-opted by WCPSS and renamed The 4Cs.